Portret van koning Albert I en koningin Elisabeth van België 1912

This photograph of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium by Benjamin Couprie is a study in contrasts. Look at how the artist uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth and drama. I imagine Couprie setting up his bulky camera, carefully arranging the royal couple just so, the light catching the Queen’s elaborate hat. The King, stoic in his military garb, probably wasn’t thrilled to be posing. I empathize with Couprie, trying to capture something of their essence, their power, and humanity, in a single frame. Photography can be so unforgiving. The texture of the image itself is fascinating. The smooth, almost porcelain-like finish contrasts with the sharp details of their clothing. It’s in this tension, between control and chance, that the photograph finds its voice. And it speaks to the ongoing conversation between artists, the way we build upon and respond to each other’s work, across time and medium.